Temptation

Back in the 1970s and 1980s, when elective cosmetic surgeries first began to grow in popularity, the main focus of manufactured metamorphoses initially revolved around external parts of the body – breast augmentation, face lifts, liposuction, and so on. 

Today, laser technology enables surgeons to work in microscopic detail on patients, allowing them to move deeper into an individual’s cosmetic yearnings. Advances in technology have guided what type of surgery is available and, to an extent, informed how popular any given treatment will become. Many factors, including the operation’s duration, how safe and/or invasive or painful it is, potential side effects, and how long the expected recovery time is, all play a part in influencing consumer decisions. 

Developed in the 1990s by doctors Ron Kurtz and Tibor Juhasz, femtosecond laser technology revolutionized the world of corneal and refractive surgery. But they likely wouldn’t have guessed that their work would pave the way for femtosecond laser-assisted keratopigmentation – a procedure that allows consumers to alter the color of their “windows to the soul.” Eye surgeons can use a femtosecond laser to create an intracorneal tunnel before inserting a special pigment in front of the natural pigment of the eye. 

Although primarily cosmetic in function, the procedure does have associated clinical applications. For example, it can be applied to treat rare degenerative disorders, such as iris atrophy, providing a therapeutic option for those suffering from the visual glare and distortion linked to the disorder. The procedure can also be used to decrease light scattering and photophobia in those with either aniridia or iris coloboma, as well as for treating a number of other common conditions that can affect a person’s quality of vision, such as photophobia and monocular diplopia. The surgery has also been suggested by some as a potential alternative to ocular surface reconstruction for those with severe cosmetic defects, who might be intolerant to contact lenses or be regarded as high risk patients for penetrating keratoplasty. 

Recently developed techniques of elective keratopigmentation have been reported as being efficient, conveniently safe, and “not associated with sight-threatening complications,” while offering long-term stability and delivering satisfactory cosmetic outcomes for patients. 

However, there have been some documented risks (though relatively sparse due to the technique still being in its infancy) to the procedure, such as corneal perforation, allergic reactions to the pigment used, microbial infections, chronic dry eye, and unwanted pigment migration. There have also been some concerns raised by medical professionals regarding how the cosmetic intervention can potentially obscure eye conditions, making it harder for professionals to diagnose or observe any disturbances because the cornea is no longer transparent after insertion of the pigment.

As of yet, there hasn’t been strong uptake for the procedure. But with reversible forms of the technique now being marketed, it may lure in those who may have otherwise felt hesitant about such a dramatic cosmetic change. With minimally/non-invasive facial cosmetic surgery witnessing increased popularity in recent years, perhaps it is only a matter of time before keratopigmentation becomes another staple offering.